Bike Paths & Popular Rides

BIKE PATHS

BIKE PATH RULESPedestrians must yield to bikes. Don’t stop on the trail; move to the side. No motorized vehicles. Check local rules for using electric assist bicycles. Cyclists call out when passing pedestrians.Dogs allowed; some areas require dogs to be leashed.

EAST SHOREEast Shore TrailEasy-moderate | 3 milesRuns along Lake Tahoe and connects to Hwy. 28 from south end of Incline Village, Nev., to Sand Harbor State Park. Parking near Ponderosa Ranch Road. Electric assist OK. TART, East Shore Express

NORTH SHORE

Lakeshore BoulevardEasy | 5 miles RTRuns along Lake Tahoe and connects to Hwy. 28 at each end of Incline Village. Park at Preston Field on Hwy. 28. Electric assist OK. TART

Truckee River CanyonEasy | 9+ miles RT4.5 miles from the Tahoe City wye to Alpine Meadows Road, with trails continuing to Olympic Valley. The trail is scenic, separate from the highway, and is mostly flat terrain with a few short, gentle grades with trout fishing, river rafting and picnicking along the way. Connects with Squaw Valley Road or continue to Truckee. Public parking at 64 Acres and Squaw Valley Park at Squaw Valley Road. Electric assist OK. TART

Village BoulevardEasy | 7.4 miles RTBike path runs along Hwy. 28 through Incline Village. Access to shopping and parks. Park at Preston Field on Hwy. 28. TART

WEST SHORE

Tahoe City to Sugar Pine Point State ParkModerate | 22 miles RTMostly separate from the highway, the trail includes a few miles of highway shoulder and residential streets. Terrain is varied with a few steep sections. Access to picnicking, beaches and playgrounds. Public parking at 64 Acres. Electric assist OK. TART

OLYMPIC VALLEY

Olympic ValleyEasy | 4 miles RTA 2-mile trail runs beside Squaw Valley Road to the ski area from the Squaw Valley condos to Victoria Road, with views of the meadow and surrounding peaks. Public parking at Squaw Valley Park or Village at Squaw. Electric assist OK. TART

TRUCKEE

ROAD BIKING ROUTES

Around the LakeStrenuous | 72 milesThis challenging route is a scenic trip around Lake Tahoe. A mix of flat spots, rolling hills and some steep climbs. Heavy traffic through South Lake Tahoe. Amazing views.

Barker PassModerate-strenuous | 10 miles RTBarker Pass is one of the most beautiful rides in Tahoe, if you don’t mind a little climbing with 5 miles and 1,700 vertical feet. But if you’re up to the task, and your bike has low gears, you will be rewarded with pristine wilderness, spectacular alpine views, snowfields, smooth pavement and almost no traffic.

You will pass through lush meadows, aspens, Lodgepole pines and several varieties of fir. In the early season, the streams are rushing and snowfields at the higher elevations keep things cool. Look for mule ears in bloom.

Take Highway 89 south of Tahoe City to Barker Pass Road for about 4.2 miles. Look for the brown sign on the right for Blackwood Canyon/Kaspian, and shortly afterward you will see the Forest Service road.

You will ride about 2.5 miles on fairly flat to slightly uphill terrain, through large stands of timber and some meadows. You will then cross a bridge over Blackwood Creek, and the climbing begins. At first the grade is mellow, about 5 percent.

After another 2 miles it gets steeper, and by about the 4-mile mark it gets up to around 10 percent. You will come to some sharp hairpin turns, and the grade is steeper than 10 percent in places.

The pavement ends at the top of the pass, and becomes a dirt trail for those with mountain bikes. If not, your effort will be rewarded by a sweet downhill run, but watch the bumps near the top of the pavement is uneven.

Boca-StampedeModerate-strenuous | 20-25 miles RTGreat out and back ride at any time of year, with scenery that goes from high desert to meadows and big pines, with views of Boca and Stampede reservoirs. From Interstate 80 Reno, take the Hirschdale Road exit and go left. When you get to the Boca Dam, you will see a small parking area to the left. Start the ride along the lake shore. The road is generally flat, with a few short uphill climbs.

At the north end, descend into a canyon made by the stream, and then to your first hill. After a short climb, you reach a long, flat section with nice views of the stream and surrounding meadows. At the end, you come to a climb about a half-mile long at a mellow grade. You’ll then see Stampede dam to the left and another climb, with a half-mile 6 to 8 percent grade ahead. After another mile or so of rolling terrain, you will get to another short climb, and then the end of pavement.

On the return, you can add some mileage and more climbing if you turn right onto Stampede Dam Road. At the end of the dam, you will hit a good climb, then rollers for the remainder of the paved road. At about 2.5 miles from the main road, you hit dirt and it’s time to head home.

Old 40 to Cisco GroveModerate-strenuous | 39 miles RTThis route is one of the easiest to follow, and one of the best. It has it all the views, a good climb, a technical descent, a restaurant en route, Donner Lake and miles of lightly traveled roads. From downtown Truckee head west on Donner Pass Road until it dead-ends in Cisco Grove. Then turn around and head back. Upon leaving the lake, you begin the long and challenging, but scenic, grind up the summit. This climb has a vertical rise of less than 1,000’. From the top of the summit, it is a rolling downhill along the Yuba River all the way to Cisco Grove. The descent down to Donner Lake is a technical one. Watch your speed, and make sure your brakes work. Parking at West End Beach and boat ramp.